It's tempting to say that the relationship between President Donald Trump and the media is turning into a clown show, but there's nothing funny about it.

We got yet more evidence of this Saturday, as the White House played its version of the playground favorite "we play by my rules or I'll take my marbles and go home."

Preschool playground.

To explain: It's no secret Trump holds the media, with the obvious exception of his beloved Fox News (a network that returns the love), in great contempt.

'I don't take questions from CNN'

If you needed a reminder, Trump provided one Friday during a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May. CNN's Jim Acosta tried to ask a question. Trump refused to answer, saying, "CNN is fake news. I don't take questions from CNN. ... Let's go to a real network." At which point he called on John Roberts of ... Fox News.

Acosta often seems to relish these battles, but still: This was a press conference beamed around the world, held on foreign soil, and the president of this country was trying to discredit a legitimate news organization. Maybe he was warming up for his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday.

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President Donald Trump and Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May stand together upon Trump's arrival for a meeting at Chequers, the prime minister's country residence, northwest of London, July 13, 2018. STEFAN ROUSSEAU, AFP/Getty Images

(L-R) US President Donald Trump, Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, US First Lady Melania Trump and Philip May stand on the steps in the Great Court to watch the bands of the Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards perform a ceremonial welcome as they arrive for a black-tie dinner with business leaders at Blenheim Palace, west of London, on July 12, 2018, on the first day of President Trump's visit to the UK.
The four-day trip, which will include talks with Prime Minister Theresa May, tea with Queen Elizabeth II and a private weekend in Scotland, is set to be greeted by a leftist-organised mass protest in London on Friday. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan SmialowskiBRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images ORIG FILE ID: AFP_17J9SP BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI, AFP/Getty Images

A giant "Human Rights Nightmare" banner is unfurled by Amnesty International activists across the river Thames on Vauxhall Bridge to protest against the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump, in London, Thursday, July 12, 2018. Trump will get the red carpet treatment on his brief visit to England: Military bands at a gala dinner the night he arrives, lunch with the prime minister at her country place the next day, then tea with the queen at magnificent Windsor Castle before flying off to one of his golf clubs in Scotland. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) ORG XMIT: XLB108 Luca Bruno, AP

U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk across the tarmac after stepping off Air Force One as they arrive at London's Stansted Airport, Thursday, July 12, 2018. Walking directly behind them is Woody Johnson, center, United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) ORG XMIT: GRBM130 Pablo Martinez Monsivais, AP

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference after a summit of heads of state and government at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Thursday, July 12, 2018. NATO leaders gather in Brussels for a two-day summit. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) ORG XMIT: FOS250 Geert Vanden Wijngaert, AP

U.S. President Donald Trump checks the time as NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stands beside him, at the Art and History Museum at the Park Cinquantenaire in Brussels on July 11, 2018. NATO leaders gathered in Brussels Wednesday for a two-day summit to discuss Russia, Iraq and their mission in Afghanistan. Geert Vanden Wijngaert, AP

French First lady Brigitte Macron, left,and US First Lady Melania Trump ahead of a NATO spouses dinner at Jubilee Museum in Brussels, Belgium on July 11, 2018. NATO member countries' heads of states and governments gather in Brussels on July 11 and 12 for a two day meeting. Pool photo by Stephanie Lecocq

US President Donald J. Trump, left, chats with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez during a NATO Summit in Brussels, Belgium on July 11, 2018. NATO countries' heads of states and governments gather in Brussels for a two-day meeting. Horst Wagner, EPA-EFE

US President Donald Trump , right, and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are reflected in a mirror as they attend at a breakfast meeting with the NATO Secretary General and staff at the US chief of mission's residence in Brussels on July 11, 2018, ahead of a NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) summit. Brendan Smialowski, AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump gestures after arriving for the North Atlantic Council meeting on the during the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) summit, at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, on July 11, 2018. Emmanuel Dunand, AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump, right, walks in with US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, as they arrive to attend the multilateral meeting of the North Atlantic Council on July 11, 2018 in Brussels, Belgium.
NATO leaders gather in Brussels for a two-day summit to discuss Russia, Iraq and their mission in Afghanistan. Pool photo by Pablo Martinez Monsivais

(L-R) NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump talk during a family photo ahead of the opening ceremony of the NATO summit, at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, on July 11, 2018. Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt, AFP/Getty Images

(L-R): Belgian Prime Minister's partner Amelie Derbaudrenghien, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, US President Donald Trump and US First Lady US Melania Trump arrive for a working dinner at The Parc du Cinquantenaire - Jubelpark Park in Brussels on July 11, 2018, during the NATO summit. Benoit Doppagne, AFP/Getty Images

L-R, first row) German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May attend the opening ceremony at the 2018 NATO Summit at NATO headquarters on July 11, 2018 in Brussels, Belgium. Leaders from NATO member and partner states are meeting for a two-day summit, which is being overshadowed by strong demands by U.S. President Trump for most NATO member countries to spend more on defense. Sean Gallup, Getty Images

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - JULY 11: Heads of state and government, including (from L to R, first row) Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May pose for the family photo during the opening ceremony at the 2018 NATO Summit at NATO headquarters on July 11, 2018 in Brussels, Belgium. Leaders from NATO member and partner states are meeting for a two-day summit, which is being overshadowed by strong demands by U.S. President Trump for most NATO member countries to pay more towards funding the alliance. Jasper Juinen, Getty Images

France's President Emmanuel Macron, right, US President Donald J. Trump, center, and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, 2nd from left, at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium on July 11, 2018. NATO countries' heads of states and governments gather in Brussels for a two-day meeting. Pool photo by Tatyana Zenkovich , EPA-EFE

US President Donald J. Trump , center, is greeted by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg as he arrives for a NATO summit in Brussels, BelgiumJuly 11, 2018. NATO countries' heads of states and governments gather in Brussels for a two-day meeting. Pool photo by Tatyana Zenkovich , EPA-EFE

President Donald Trump pats a world leader on the back as he makes his way to his seat for a meeting of the North Atlantic Council during a summit of heads of state and government at NATO headquarters in Brussels on July 11, 2018. NATO leaders gather in Brussels for a two-day summit to discuss Russia, Iraq and their mission in Afghanistan. Pablo Martinez Monsivais, AP

President Donald Trump walks in as he is introduced at the summit of heads of state and government at NATO headquarters in Brussels on July 11, 2018. NATO leaders gather in Brussels for a two-day summit to discuss Russia, Iraq and their mission in Afghanistan. Pablo Martinez Monsivais, AP

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump disembark from Air Force One as they arrive at Melsbroek Air Base in Haachtsesteenweg on July 10, 2018. President Donald Trump has arrived in Brussels on the eve of a tense NATO summit where he is set to clash with allies over defence spending. Trump arrived on Air Force One at Melsbroek military airport, shortly after saying on Twitter that NATO allies should "reimburse" the United States for spending on the alliance. Benoit Doppagne, AFP/Getty Images

For his part, Roberts was lambasted for not defending CNN — his former employer — or handing the microphone to Acosta. That's inside baseball, but it's also telling. President Barack Obama sometimes froze out Fox News reporters, and reporters from other networks defended their competitor. In real time, too. (Roasted on social media, Roberts later tweeted support for CNN as a "real" new outlet. How brave.)

Here is the statement from Fox News's John Roberts, who was selected by Trump to ask a question after CNN's Jim Acosta was dissed. pic.twitter.com/Wp4PDIP4xg

White House cancels interview with CNN

But that's just the backdrop. On Saturday, we saw the state of the relationship between the media and the Trump administration, illustrated in three tweets:

Saturday morning CNN's Jake Tapper tweeted this: "Update: @AmbJohnBolton had been locked in for tomorrow’s @CNNSOTU. Then the president attacked CNN during his UK presser, and our WH correspondent tried to ask a question. We are told Amb. Bolton remains fully prepared to do the interview but the White House has canceled it."

Update: @AmbJohnBolton had been locked in for tomorrow’s @CNNSOTU. Then the president attacked CNN during his UK presser, and our WH correspondent tried to ask a question. We are told Amb. Bolton remains fully prepared to do the interview but the White House has canceled it.

Anyway, CNN's Brian Stelter, who covers political media the way snow covers Mount Everest, responded to Sanders — on Twitter, of course:

"'Disrespected?' After Trump insulted CNN, Acosta said, 'Mr. President, since you attacked CNN, can I ask you a question?' Then Acosta said CNN is real, not fake. And that's that."

"Disrespected?" After Trump insulted CNN, Acosta said, "Mr. President, since you attacked CNN, can I ask you a question?" Then Acosta said CNN is real, not fake. And that's that. https://t.co/6M6RJTCyVO

State-run media are dangerous

If only that were that. There is no sign of this rift healing anytime soon (certainly not while Trump is in office). We're moving perilously close to the beating-a-dead-horse department, but there's at least anecdotal evidence that Trump's constant battering of legitimate media outlets is working, at least to some degree. Again, anecdotally: I often hear from people who simply refuse to believe stories written by the New York Times or the Washington Post. And yet they'll believe every cockamamie tinfoil-hat theory Sean Hannity champions on Fox News.

I've said this so much I should have it printed on a shirt: News you don't like isn't "fake news." It's just news you don't like. That doesn't make it any less true, no matter how many people you pull from Sunday shows.